SANG Building

The consultation is closed.

New exemplary cafe and visitor centre

The proposed building looks to provide an exemplary cafe and visitor centre for local residents and visitors to the SANG (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace), alongside ancillary functions such as toilets and storage. The SANG was approved in detail as part of the Hybrid Planning application allowed in May 2024. 

The landmark SANG building will be constructed by Taylor Wimpey and then endowed to the Stewardship Body (charitable trust). The Stewardship Body will be responsible for the running of this income generating building, with revenue directly benefiting the new Community Trust. This will be one of several assets gifted to the Trust. 

Site Location Plan

The SANG Building is accessed from the Wisley Lane Diversion. It sits adjacent to a large pond and parking for the SANG.  

Composite Plan 

This Reserved Matters Application has been designed in accordance with the consented Hybrid Planning Application. The proposals are aligned with the approved Application for the SANG and the Placemaking Infrastructure Design Code. 

Evolution of Design 

Since the Placemaking Infrastructure Design Code was submitted outlining the key drivers for the design, two design options were explored. This design has evolved through an iterative process of engagement within the Former Wisley Airfield Hybrid Application and subsequent Pre-Application workshops with the local authority. 

One of the options sought an L shape arrangement with a shared courtyard, however the design team and local authority moved forward with the splayed linked arrangement to maximize solar gain, distribution of outdoor space and user and operator ease.  

The plan is arranged into 2 buildings with a linking entranceway. The building to the west holds a kitchen, with ancillary uses and a café overlooking the lake, with adjacent outdoor seating. The eastern building holds the toilet block, alongside an Energy Wall (an information board about the sustainability of the building and the development) and a dual-use community and education space. This building is multifunctional and will be a hirable space for the local people to use for birthdays, yoga classes, and events, providing an income to the Community Trust. 

Wider Landscape Plan 

The building has been designed to connect with the wider landscape, providing views out onto key areas and connecting to the adjacent car park which provides 45 spaces for visitors, 4 of which are disabled parking bays, and cycle parking. A secondary car park sits within the northern part of the SANG on the other side of the road to the east of the SANG buildings. The approach to the buildings is framed by pockets of landscaping, with the central courtyard space marked by a large tree. Outdoor seating will complement the café users and visitors.   

There were 3 key design principles which helped the design evolve, connecting the building back into the history of the area: 

Design Principle 1 – Courtyard  

Before becoming an airfield in the 1940s, the area had mainly agricultural uses, with three farms being located within the Former Wisley Airfield site boundary, and Bridge End Farm located to the south. These courtyard arrangements have informed the design of the SANG buildings. 

Design Principle 2 – Gable 

Many examples of strong gables can be found in Wisley and the surrounding area, with an array of roof pitches. 

Design Principle 3 – Wandering wall 

A repeating design element in Wisley and the surrounding villages is the use of wandering walls that step up and down to reveal or conceal. 

Form & Massing 

The form and massing are built up in 7 steps to show the design intent:

  1. Simple form with pitched gable end
  2. Wrapped at the base with solid wall that grounds the building
  3. Introduction of roof with overhangs to provide shelter
  4. Lighter weight fins that sit on the solid wall allow for high-level glazing in between
  5. Beginnings of breaking/stepping down of the wall to allow for openings
  6. Positioning with twin building on site
  7. Adding of link piece which provides an entrance point for both buildings as well as shared courtyard

Material Palette 

The material palette is a simple paired back palette and responds to the immediate and surrounding context.  The use of dark metal, stone, and timber is synonymous with farmstead and agricultural buildings, creating a visual reminder of the past uses on site. 

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